The University of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia (UBC) was created by legislation in 1908. It had only three faculties in the 1920's: Applied Science, Arts, and Agriculture, and there were only 386 female students and 576 male students that were on campus. However, this is different in the present time. In 2003 alone, there was an estimated 40,000 undergraduate students and 8,000 graduate students that studied in the university. ... continued below

About The University of British Columbia

Campus: Facilities, Residence and Location

There are two campuses in UBC: Vancouver Campus and Kelowna Campus. Vancouver Campus is in the heart of downtown Vancouver, and it has breathtaking vistas everywhere you go. It has some of the best recreation facilities around, including the Pacific Spirit Regional Park, Museum of Antropology, UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research, and the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts. The Kelowna Campus is in the Okanagan Valley. It gives a more intimate educational and personal experience for students, and it is in the regional area of British Columbia. Students who plan to live inside the campus can find it very rewarding. For first year students, they can live in Place Vanier or in Totem Park. These two residences offer single room services, and even has rooms for disabled students, single-sex buildings, and co-ed living. First year students have the added benefit of guaranteed slots in these rooms, and they can select meal plans that suit their tastes and dietary preferences. Aside from the practical aspects of living, UBC Housing helps the students develop their academic and social lives through the various activities that they organize regularly.

Student Services and Student Life

The university respects the diverse experiences of its students, and they understand that ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, race, and disabilities can give rise to special needs and concerns that should be given importance to. This is addressed through the various support services that UBC gives, including Career and Alumni Services, Advising for Prospective Students, Counselling Services, Orientation Programs, Services for Students with Disabilities, and Services for Aboriginal Students. There are also other areas of interest that may be of particular interest to some students, such as the Academic Support, Women's Centre, Speakeasy, Colour Connected, and Career & Alumni Services.

There are many other facilities that are available inside the campus. The Student Union Building has many clubs, restaurants, cafes, nightclub, pubs, shops and theatres to choose from. There are also art galleries that houses students' works. The Ladha Science Student Centre is a levy for Science undergraduate programs, Dean of Science and VP students. TRIUMF particle laboratory offers people guided tours, while the UBC Farm' 24 hectare research farm in the South Campus is the only operating farmland inside Vancouver city. From June til October, everyone can go to their Saturday Farm Markets which sell organic eggs and produce to the community. The Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre on Vancouver Island is a place for biologists, and other scientists to research about marine wildlife. The Peter Wall Institute for Advance Studies in a research institute for students.

Recreation activities are available to students all year round. UBC has one of the largest intramural sports in any Canadian university. Some of the options include participating in special events (Storm Wall, Day of the Longboat) or tournaments, taking alternative fitness options, such as Pilates and Martial Arts, or playing your preferred sport. There are also fitness facilities for the sports-minded student. Among these are the Student Recreation Centre, Playing Fields for Soccer, Field Hockey, Rugby and others, The War Memorial Gym, The Coast Club Tennis Centre, The UBC Varsity Rowing Program, The Thunderbird Winter Sports Centre, University Golf Club, and the Aquatic Centre. UBC also takes pride in its sporting excellence. Its student athletes all belong under the name, UBC Thunderbirds, and around 107 student athletes were named Academic All-Canadians for doing well in their studies and in their sport. Among the sports categories that are included in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport are: Volleyball, Basketball, Swimming, Field Hockey, Soccer, Football, Rugby, and Ice Hockey.

Rankings

The University of British Columbia belongs to the elite top three Canadian universities. It ranked 35th internationally and second in the 2008 Academic Ranking of World Universities in Canada. Newsweek Magazine placed it 2nd in Canada and 33rd in the world colleges in 2006.

Notable Accomplishments

No university in Canada has ever won more national championships in the last decade than UBC. Their strongest sporting championships are in swimming, golf, soccer, basketball, and field hockey. Some of the most notable successes include: Major League Baseball drafts, 214 participants at the Olympics, World-Record swimmer, Brian Johns, and medal winners in Olympic Games and other international competitions.

Vancouver Information

Vancouver is a coastal city and major seaport, located on the mainland of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. The current population of the city of Vancouver is roughly 600,000. Vancouver is consistently ranked one of the three most livable cities in the world. According to a 2007 report by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, Vancouver tied with Vienna as having the third highest quality of living in the world, after Zurich and Geneva.

Vancouver is a growing hotbed for arts and culture. Featuring Prominent theatre companies, such as the Arts Club Theatre Company on Granville Island, the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company, and Bard on the Beach. Smaller companies include Touchstone Theatre, Studio 58, Carousel Theatre, and the United Players of Vancouver. Theatre Under the Stars produces shows in the summer at Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park. In addition, Vancouver holds an annual Fringe Festival and International Film Festival.